The newest Russian icebreaker "Ob" is sailing to the port of Sabetta

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Published: 06 November 2019

The main task of the new vessel is to maintain shipping during the winter and ensure the passability of large vessels in the Yamal Peninsula.

The new Russian icebreaker Ob arrived in Murmansk, where the state flag was solemnly hoisted on it. Then it will have to sail to a permanent place of navigation - to the port of Sabetta in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

There are no analogs to the equipment installed on the Ob in the world fleet. The propulsion system is innovative, four-stroke, with propellers in the bow and stern. These features allow the vessel to be maneuverable: it can go sideways and in any direction, even in ice 1.5 meters thick.

“We decided to make this vessel the most modern, it has the most modern diesel engines that are in the Guinness Book of Records,” says Mustafa Kashka, general director of Atomflot.

There is no helipad on the icebreaker, since the Ob is a port ship. Instead, it has a special crane for loading and unloading equipment in containers. The crane has a lifting capacity of 25 tons; the reach is 22 meters. The crane can operate at temperatures up to minus 40 degrees.

The crew of the ship is 19 people, it can take on board another 11. In addition to the cabins, the galley, and the dining room, the icebreaker is equipped with a gym, showers, a sauna, and even a swimming pool.

“The pool is filled with seawater, saltwater, although it is warmer” - explains Vitaliy Pesin, senior assistant to the captain.

The Ob icebreaker is multifunctional: in addition to transportation and towage, it is capable of escort operations, operations against oil spills and fire on ships and port facilities. However, its main task is to maintain shipping during the winter and ensure the passability of large vessels in the Arctic port of Sabetta. The crew will take the course to Yamal on November 7th.